In the best year for the freight transportation industry since the Great Recession, logistics managers chalk up efficiencies that drive further U.S. economic growth. However, capacity issues persist, causing shippers to worry about rate hikes as carriers continue to be meticulous in their partnerships.

Does your organization struggle with the integration of information between your internal systems, processes and partner portals? You're not alone! Kapow Software alongside EFT has surveyed over 200 organizations regarding the importance of information access, visibility and discusses some of the major goals for supply chain and logistics organizations.

During this webcast we'll explore how supply chain execution convergence (SCEC) helps break down the barriers resulting from disparate, fragmented technology solutions allowing you to more effectively serve customers, adapt to changing business cycles, and save both money and resources.

News that the Port of Jacksonville, is taking a bit more time to expand makes plenty of sense to analysts.

According to Jock O’Connell, Beacon Economics’ International Trade Adviser, the nation’s supply chains are being reconfigured due to a dynamic shift in workforce populations.

“Most U.S. multinationals are moving from the west and southwest to the deep south and gulf regions,” he says. “And that means that the cargo flows are going to be directed to ports in the region with the best infrastructure and services.”

Container throughput and volume figures released late last year by the Jacksonville Port Authority support this contention. According to Chris Kauffmann, who served as the port’s interim executive director, the gateway moved a record number of containers in fiscal year 2010 — the second consecutive year of container growth for the seaport — and marked a decade of consistent growth in earnings.

“The momentum is building and we look for more positive news in the new fiscal year,” he says.

And now that the port has former Federal Maritime Commissioner (FMC) A. Paul Anderson leading the team, a focus on services should also be key. Prior to serving on the FMC, he was a senior fellow of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee at the U.S. House of Representatives.

About the Author

Patrick BurnsonExecutive Editor

Patrick Burnson is executive editor for Logistics Management and Supply Chain Management Review magazines and web sites. Patrick is a widely-published writer and editor who has spent most of his career covering international trade, global logistics, and supply chain management. He lives and works in San Francisco, providing readers with a Pacific Rim perspective on industry trends and forecasts. You can reach him directly at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).

Subscribe to Logistics Management magazine

Subscribe today. It's FREE!

Get timely insider information that you can use to better manage yourentire logistics operation.

Recent Entries

While many industry analysts contend that distribution centers near U.S. East Coast ports will see a surge of new business after the Panama Canal expansion, real estate experts say this phenomena is already underway.

A new Government Accountability Office report on the effects of changes to truck driver hours of service rules has sparked a war of words between the American Trucking Associations and Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, the arm of the Transportation Department that is in charge of making those rules.

The Department of Transportation’s Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) reported this week that U.S. trade with its North America Free Trade Agreement partners Canada and Mexico in May dropped 10.8 percent annually to $92.7 billion, following a 6.8 percent annual decline to $93.3 billion in April.

Rumors of transportation and logistics titan UPS acquiring Chicago-based transportation management services provider Coyote Logistics for $1.8 billion have become a reality, with UPS announcing today that the deal is now official.